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Naya; knowledge of a thing as it is (Prāmāna) and knowledge of a thing in its relation (Naya). 13 Naya means a standpoint of thought from which we make a statement about a thing. 14 Dr. Radhakrishanan defines Naya as a Standpoint from which one makes a statement about a thing. 15 All truth is relative to our standpoints. Partial knowledge of one of the innumerable aspects of a thing is called naya. Judgement based on this partial knowledge is also included in naya. Hence, it is conceived from one particular point of view or one-sided knowledge.
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In Saptabhangi Naya, where we find pluralistic doctrine of the Jaina Dialectics, Jainas say that the doctrine points to the relativity of knowledge concerning all the objects of the world. 17 There are seven nayas of which the first Naya18 when taken as absolute, a naya becomes a fallacynayabhasa.
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The total nayas are seven- 1. Naigama-naya 2. Sangraha-naya, 3. Vyavahāra-naya, 4. Ṛjusūtra-naya, 5. Śabda-naya, 6. Samabhirudhanaya, and 7. Evambhūta-naya. The first four are Arthanaya and the last three are Śabdanaya. Each naya or point of view represents only one of the innumerable aspects possessed by a thing from which we may attempt to know or describe it. When any such partial viewpoint in mistaken for the whole, we have a nayabhāsa or a fallacy, The seven fallacies areNaigamābhāsa, Sangrahābhāsa,, Vyavahārā- bhāsa, Ṛjusūtrabhāsa, Sabdabhāsa, Samabhirūḍhābhāsa and evam-bhūtābhāsa.
The nayas are also distinguished as Dravyarthika or from the point of view of substance, and Paryāyārthika or from the point of view of modes. 20 Dravyarthika takes into account the permanent nature and unity of things while the Paryayarthika account the passing modification and the diversity of things. When a thing is taken to be either as permanent only or as momentary, either as one only or as many only, fallacies arise. Anekānata
Truth has infinite aspects.21 It is of two types: immediate and mediated. Only an omniscient observer can obtain the immediate knowledge of on object in its totality. But an imperfect or an ordinary man knows one or a few aspects.22 Such a partial knowledge of an object having infinite attributes in called naya. It is a knowledge having certain standpoints, and is also relative, not having an absolute knowledge of truth.
तुलसी प्रज्ञा अप्रैल-जून, 2004
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